Red Bandana
by Rekindled candle
Summary: He did not tell her, however, that he loved it because it was just like her hair. It was her distinct hair color. And smell. LE/SS. Short oneshot. Slightly out of character. All critique and comments welcomed!


Hello! This story pairs Lily Evans/Severus Snape. It was simply born from the depth of my mind. Sorry that it's short. I plan to edit it in the future, so any critique or comments will be read and acted upon! That said, please enjoy.

P.S.: Severus and Lily would be nearing the end of their third year.

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A young girl sat in a corner of the library. Her dark red hair was neatly pulled back with a bandana of a similar color with gold fringes. Though her homework was due the next day, her books lay untouched beside her. She drummed her fingers against the table.

"He's late," she muttered to herself, pulling a tuft of hair away from her face. _I wish he would hurry up… Sev is never late. Where is he?_

Almost as if to answer to her question, a sallow-skinned boy plopped down beside her.

"Sev!" she squeaked. "I didn't hear you come in! What took you?" The boy grimaced.

"Potter," he said shortly.

"Joy. What did he do THIS time?" groaned the girl holding her head in her hands. Severus responded by lifting up his left arm and releasing his grip on it.

"Whoah…" she breathed, glancing at the arm. A lovely purple bruise ran across it.

"Apparently, Lily," Severus began slowly, his lip curling upward, "Black thought it would be… amusing to, ah, return me to several floors below the library again."

"And I'm guessing that this was accomplished by grabbing you by the arm and gleefully tossing you down the stairs?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Actually, yes. That's exactly what he did," Severus replied, grumbling and rubbing his arm. Lily seethed sympathetically.

"Maybe you should go to Madam Pomfrey?" Lily suggested, examining the arm.

"No, I'm fine! Lily, it's already late, and we need to study for the exam," Severus replied. His expression was in between horror and delight. Lilly had no idea why, but she didn't like it. She scowled at him.

"I can handle it, " Severus murmured, almost to himself, rubbing his wrist.

"No, you can't. Agh! All you boys, trying to act so heroic. It'll do you no good just to suck it up. If you won't go to the Hospital Wing, let me at LEAST wrap it up. Lean over here," she snapped at first, her tone becoming slightly softer with her last sentence. Perhaps she truly loved him. Or she remembered that they were in the library and Mrs. Reming was nearby. Severus preferred the first option. Lily nudged his hand away from his left arm and pulled it towards herself.

"Hold still for a sec," Lily commanded, reaching for her hair. Severus' wrist tingled slightly from her touch.

_Almost pathetic… She's your best friend, yet you still swoon whenever she touches you. Which is at least five times a day, I might add, _a section of Severus' brain declared, sounding annoyed.

_Yes, she's so amazing, isn't she? She's always helping people out, and she's so smart and pretty and-_

"There you go. All bandaged up," Lily's clear voice declared, snapping Severus out of his train of thought. He blinked and looked down at the bright piece of cloth tied tightly around his arm. He hadn't noticed her doing anything to it.

"Er… It's all right, isn't it? It's Gryffindor colors, so I could change it later if you want…" Lily said hesitantly. She eyed the bandana, looking proud of her handiwork.

"No, I don't mind at all. It's great, thanks," Sev asserted hurriedly. Lily beamed.

"You can keep it if you'd like. I never had much use for it anyways. It always blended in with my hair too much," Lily chattered happily. Severus thought it was brilliant that he could keep it, and told her so. He did not tell her, however, that he loved it because it was just like her hair. It was her distinct hair color. And smell.

Lily looked surprised yet pleased that Severus liked her gift. There was a very faint pink tint on her cheeks.

"Shall we continue with our studies?" she asked, eyes twinkling at the thought of her books. He chuckled and pulled his potion book towards himself. If only she would react that way whenever HE was mentioned.

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Half an hour later, they were still working on the same piece.

"Does using ground turtle shell in a potion with frog liver in it make anything poisonous, or is it just combining the two raw materials? Professor Slughorn wasn't very clear," Lily commented, scanning over her notes.

"I believe that they affect each other regardless of other materials," Severus replied slowly, squinting at his own.

"Thanks. You think we're done?" she said cheerfully, drawing a critical eye over her essay as Severus did the same.

"Suppose so. It's almost eight anyways. Can I walk with you to your common room?" Lily rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Sev. You're acting more like Potter everyday," she sighed. Severus felt a throb of terror.

"W-what? No, I-" He broke off, noticing her grin.

"No need to get so defensive! I'm just teasing. Besides, you're polite, unlike him," she snickered at his flabbergasted face.

The two walked in silence up several floors.

"Doxy wings," Lilly told the portrait that guarded her common room. It swung open and she turned to Severus.

"See you tomorrow Sev. I hope your arm feels better," she told him cheerfully. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. The pink tint had come back to her cheeks.

"Y-yeah, have a nice day," Severus mumbled, feeling woozy. He watched as she hopped through the portrait hole. For the first time in his life, Severus felt gratitude to James Potter and his friends. This had been a very fine day indeed.


End file.
